5 Signs That Your Body Needs More Vitamins and Minerals

HJ: Our bodies are constantly communicating to us our state of health, we just have never been taught how to identify, read and interpret the signals. We have been taught instead to go see a doctor who may or may not know what our given symptoms are signs of (except in the case of Ayurvedic, Chinese, and sometimes Naturopathic medicine). These days what you will get is a prescription for anti-biotics, pain killers or synthetic hormonal creams, none of which actually treat the underlying cause of the issue, but merely lessen symptoms temporarily. What we need is not to rely on some external source of expertise about our own intimate selves and state of health. We need to learn how to communicate with out bodies and truly understand the messages they are constantly sending us. This is the key to lasting health and also a deeper sense of self-awareness.

Therefore, learning to identify the signals the body is constantly giving us is of utmost importance. In this regard, the article below will help you identify various ways the body may be communicating to you that you are potentially deficient in various vitamins and minerals. Also note that most skin symptoms have a relationship to the liver and indicate the need for healing and cleansing of that organ. Furthermore, tension is a symptom of larger issues of self-worth and potentially hormonal or postural imbalances.

It may seem overwhelming to learn the language of the body, but there are general patterns you can identify that will help you hone in on whatever may potentially be wrong. If you are interested in learning more, I highly recommend the seminal book by Paul Pitchford, Healing With Whole Asian Foods. This is an excellent primer on getting you acquainted with food, the body, the organs and how they are all related, including symptomology.

When your body is trying to tell you something—for example, that you’re skimping on critical vitamins—it may go to some strange lengths.”With today’s diet of processed foods, it’s easy to become vitamin-deficient, either by not eating enough of the right foods or not absorbing them properly due to digestive issues,” says Dr. Susan Blum, the founder of the Blum Center for Health and the author of the new book The Immune System Recovery Plan.

“You may not get a disease, but you can end up with impaired functioning, because vitamins are cofactors for all the biochemical reactions in the body. We need them in order to function properly.”

That impaired functioning can sometimes manifest in mysterious ways.

Here are five unusual warning signs that you may be vitamin-deficient.

The good news: Most are fixable with dietary tweaks—all the more reason to make nutrition a top priority. But if food cures don’t work, be sure to check in with your doctor.

Body Cue No. 1: Cracks at the corners of your mouth.

The Deficiency: Iron, zinc, and B vitamins like niacin (B3), riboflavin (B2), and B12. “It’s common if you’re a vegetarian to not get enough iron, zinc, and B12,” Blum says. Ditto if you’re skimping on essential immunity-building protein due to dieting.

The Deficiency: Biotin (B7), known as the hair vitamin. While your body stores fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, K), it doesn’t store most B vitamins, which are water-soluble. Body builders take note: Eating raw eggs makes you vulnerable, because a protein in raw eggs called avidin inhibits the body’s ability to absorb biotin.

The Fix: Skimp on saturated fat and trans fats, which you should be doing anyway, and increase healthy fats. Focus on adding more salmon and sardines, nuts like walnuts and almonds, and seeds like ground flax, hemp, and chia. For vitamin A, pile on leafy greens and colorful veggies like carrots, sweet potatoes, and red bell peppers. “This provides beta carotene, a precursor to vitamin A, which your body will use to make vitamin A,” Blum says. “For vitamin D, though, I recommend a supplement—2,000 IU a day in one that also contains vitamins A and K, which help with D absorption.”

The Deficiency: B vitamins like folate (B9), B6, and B12. “It’s a problem directly related to the peripheral nerves and where they end in the skin,” says Blum, noting that these symptoms can be combined with anxiety, depression, anemia, fatigue, and hormone imbalances.

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